The No Good, Very Bad Day (which was not actually all that bad)

Today, Dara made the final decision to shut down the main operation of the tour guide company, after a week of no tours and Enrica quitting this morning. I am not surprised, since it is basically a money drain to operate the company without giving any tours, but I am disappointed. Our advertising doesn't run out until next week, and we have had some indications of interest for tours in July, so I am fully employed for the next week, at least. After that, I can give tours when the website gets attention, but in the meanwhile, I need to find another job! I hope that I can still be a tour guide (since I am now fully trained...), and I am pursuing leads with other companies. Unfortunately, I also have a vicious head cold, which sort of puts a damper on the whole thing.

OK, having gotten the bad stuff out of the way... Today, for all that doom and gloom, was pretty great, because when no one showed up for the tours, we went off and did things in Rome on company money. There is a boat tour on the Tiber, but of course, we got there just as they were closing for the afternoon. Finding ourselves in the shadow of the Castel Sant'Angelo, we decided to venture in there instead. After some tasty gelato, I found the museum part of the Castel, and we were looking around sort of aimlessly, until I spotted this:

It may not look like much to you, but this is a bona fide bronze ram from the prow of a Roman warship, sent to the bottom of the Mediterranean during the Battle of the Aegates Islands in 241 BC, in the midst of the Second Punic War. In addition to being an important turning point in Roman naval history, the Battle of the Aegates Islands also represents approximately 7 pages of my Classics thesis... I tried to avoid showing that I was in total nerd mode, and took this picture after surreptitiously touching the ancient bronze. Touching artifacts is not taboo in Italian museums, which I find simultaneously appalling and exhilarating, so I took advantage of that a bit here. As I ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the perfect tridentine shape, the cast rosettes, and the nail holes where the ram was attached to the strakes, I wondered why I had never discovered that this ram existed during the last time I was in Rome. It is a perfectly preserved ram, and seeing it bascially made my afternoon...

However, the miracle of the Roman ram was followed up by some excellent acts, including the discovery of a hotel named after Sol Invictus, a Roman deity especially favored by Hadrian. I find it ironic that the hotel only received three stars; I think Mr. Invictus would be pretty bummed to hear how far he's fallen in Roman eyes.

This place very close to the Colosseum, on the Via Cavour, right next to my new favorite coffee shop. The cafe is owned by an Italian man and his Chinese wife, both of whom are unbelievably nice. They have a goofy-looking boy who works for them, as well. I think they are beginning to recognize me now, since today with my cappuccino, I received two pieces of candy. This represents the latest in a string of 100% improvements on my candy consumption; the first time I went there, I had no candy, the second time, I got one piece, and this time, I got two pieces! I will happily continue to frequent the cafe for research purposes, to see how long the candy delivery will continue to boom.

After more attempting to invite tourists to accompany us into the Forum, we walked up to the Spanish Steps and the Piazza del Popolo. Both are beautiful, and served to remind me once again what an amazing city this is. More amazing, however, was what we found in the Piazza del Popolo, which I can only describe as this:Yes, if you were wondering, that IS a man in a crew shell, rowing in mid air. Something big is always going on in Piazza del Popolo (earlier this week they were filming Angels and Demons with Tom Hanks there), but I am at a loss to explain what this was all about. There were a number of other boats in the Piazza, so perhaps it is some sort of nautical festival, in which case, I hope I am invited.